The Battle for Marriage Equality

On Oct. 21, New Jersey became the 14th state in the nation to recognize marriage for gay and lesbian couples. From Newark to Lambertville to Asbury Park, couples exchanged vows just after the stroke of midnight, surrounded by friends and family. These celebrations capped a long fought campaign for marriage equality that became more pressing after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in June.

The ACLU-NJ is proud to have been one of the primary organizations in the state working to win marriage equality. Along with our close ally Garden State Equality, we founded New Jersey United for Marriage (NJUM), which became the leading coalition in the fight against New Jersey’s separate and unequal system of civil unions.

Doomsday for DOMA

When the New Jersey legislature created civil unions in 2006, it was under the condition that they be completely equal to marriage, as dictated by the New Jersey Supreme Court in the decision Lewis v. Harris. While this promise was never fulfilled, everything changed in June when the U.S. Supreme Court, in an ACLU case, struck down a key part of DOMA and required the federal government to recognize marriages of same-sex couples.

In contrast with our neighbors in New York and Delaware, the decision came as bittersweet news for same-sex couples in the Garden State. Same-sex spouses all along the northeast would now be granted more than 1,000 rights and benefits, while New Jersey couples in civil unions would be denied those rights.

United Against Civil Unions

New Jersey United for Marriage hosted a kickoff rally on July 24, 2013 on the boardwalk at Asbury Park.

As a coalition, we held rallies and countless of lobby visits, organized thousands of constituent calls, and conducted crucial face-to-face conversations in key legislative districts. Due to our efforts, Republicans and Democrats alike joined the movement for marriage equality.